Value for money? Go for DELL or ACER
Apr 06 '07 (Updated Jul 22 '08)
The Bottom Line A bigger screen and external keyboard and you wont even miss your desktop. Portability and space is a major issue today.
Notebooks as desktop replacements? Well why not? These days there's nothing that can't be done on a portable. That is, if you're wise in your choice. A big ergonomic screen helps for starters. There is the option of adding external key boards to a notebook incase you find the in-bulit board tacky. Now back to choosing the all important laptop that can give a desktop the run for its money!
Buying that precious notebook can often be quite confusing for many of us as the offerings are more than a mouthful: Brands, make, model, availability, configuration, performance, cost—what should you go for? The balancing act is a daunting ordeal since not many of the good folk can afford to rope in everything. However, at the end of the day, it has to be “Value For Money based performance” that must call the shots. It’s either that, or a fat and willing wallet!
Being IT professional and gadget geek. I know my patch well. But even that wasn’t enough when I wanted to buy the perfect notebook.. Nine months—dissecting every available laptop in the market right down to the bones, Putting them through the grind, researching customer feedback, and weighing all the pros & cons in terms of –
a. Technical specifications & Functionality.
b. Multidimensional performance capability.
c. The complete package.
d. Back up, after sales support and future proofness.
e. Price in terms of “Bang for The Buck”.
Makes sense does it? So .If you are planning to buy a notebook, start by asking yourself the ultimate question-- what do you wish to do with it? Is it going to be the mission computer onboard a space shuttle? Or will it be managing the firing sequence of ICBMs? If it isn’t, then safely discard that obsession of having tera-flops of processing power for nothing. Thou shall never have an opportune to use it! In all likeliness you’d be running an OS or two. Then word-processors, photo-editing software, programming tools, LAN, web surfing, various utilities, playing the latest games and of course entertainment. Fine!
If so, then look no further beyond the ACER travelmate and Aspire series. They are cheaper in comparison to most of the so-called big guns yet offer your money’s worth in terms of processing power, memory, storage, graphics, portability and connectivity options. As a relatively new entrant into the big boys’ arena Acer is trying hard to make a lasting impression. You might count on that too. And oh, the ACER notebooks with the Intel 945 range of chipsets & on board Intel GMA 950 graphic processor does a fair job of graphics and gaming. Even the AMD based systems are worth their salt. But you may have to forgo the goodies of Intel based chipsets like reputed onboard graphics, sound, compatibility etc.
Still, if you want the whole world in your hands (well almost) and don’t mind coughing up a little extra dough, then perhaps you should seriously consider the Dell Inspiron 1501/E1505 variants. Did someone ask why? Here goes then—
T2060 onwards Duel core processor (which means lesser power consumption, and lesser heat) Intel 945 GM chipset, dedicated 256 MB Ati X1400 or NVIDIA GF 7300 graphics or the 512 MB shared GMA 950 onboard graphic processor, 100 GB HDD, 1-2 GB DDR-II RAM, Onboard Modem and LAN, Wi-FI, Blue tooth, Card slots, and the rest of the works.. Did I mention the 4 USB ports? Or the amazing 15.4-inch high Res WXGA screen that gives you true-life images and yet is so soothing on the eye! The Integrated sonic sound chip is also incredible. And there's really no need to mention the 8X duel DVD layer Drive is there?
Bundled software eh? Windows Vista (home), Norton Internet security, McAfee anti-virus, adobe reader 6, dell media center to enjoy multimedia without launching the OS, Dell juke box to take care of most of your audio ventures.
If you’re still wondering, then check this—All of that ammo with a price range between 600-800$ depending on your specifications. You might also get slightly different variants at different prices if you can buy from different locations. It’s worth checking out.
The best thing with DELL is, you can configure the item to suit your budget and needs.
You can spice up the notebook further with altering configurations. As for gaming, (gaming is good way to check if your piece is up to it) well I ran juice guzzlers like Quake-4, FEAR, BF2142 with reasonable settings & got amazing FPS rates. This sleek mean machine weighing about 6.18 pounds actually gives all those powerful desktops a run for their money! Says who you can’t frag ‘em on a notebook?
One common complain about Dell is the battery. That it doesn't last more than a year. Well, take the battery out
when you are plugged into a power source. This act itself give the battery a much greater lifespan.
You got it! Dell is the one I picked based on the factors I’d previously outlined. Now coming back to the slam-dunk—Why did I leave out all those glory boys?
Sony HP, Lenovo Toshiba, I-Ball—Except some glitches here and there are generally great stuff. But what are they offering for that hefty price tag that Dell or ACER isn’t? Nothing much really! Hence there’s definitely little value for hard earned money except the brand tag. Unless you too feel that a notebook too is a fashion statement product. Face recognition login? Indeed! The fat lot it does! And if you’re one of those who’s in the habit of rock climbing or bungee jumping with a notebook strapped to your shoulders, then it is Panasonic for you.
There’s Samsung, LG, MSI, ASUS and some other decent items as well. But clubbing all the factors together it is DELL who gets the biscuit. After sales service: A very important factor to consider-- Even in this aspect Dell is way ahead of the others. Learn the hard way and you'll believe. This is where all the fizz dies out in most cases.
Yes. My humble recommendation is DELL or ACER—if you’re looking for a decent bang for your hard earned buck. There you are mate-- Happy laptop hunting.
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Epinions.com ID:
devv
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Member: Devv Paul
Location: Bangalore City, India
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
IT/Management professional (BE, MBA.)Professional writer
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